Telegraph-key.



. DE ALCAL.

TELEGRAPH KEY. APPLICATION FILED MAR. e. 1911.

1,265,887. PfIIenIed-IIIay14,1918.

7 l INVENTOR.

. BENJAMIN DE ALCAL, 0F NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA.

TELEGRAPH-KEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 6, 1917. Serial No. 152,785.

c To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known thatI, BENJAMIN DE AL- cAn',a citizen of the United States, residingat New Orleans, in the parish of Orleans and State of Louisiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Telegraph-Keys, of which the following is a specification.

i vThis invention relates to new and useful improvements in a telegraph key.

The' object of the invention is to provide a telegraph key of the character described which will automatically complete the' circuit, after beingused so that there will be no liability of the key being left open, accidentally, or otherwise, and the main line, connected to the key, thus being incapable of use between points located on opposite sides ofthe keyin question.

',A further feature of the 'invention resides f inthe provision of an improvement of the With the above and other objects in view, the invention has particular relation to certain novel features ofconstruction, arrangements of parts and use, an example of which is `given'in this specication and illustrated Y.trolled `There is a platina contact point in the-accompanying drawings wherein "Figure 1A is a plan view of the key. Fig.' 2j is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is atransverse sectional view taken o n the-line 3 3 of Fig-2.

Fig. r4 -is a plan view ofthe automatic switch. 1

Fig 5 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 6 is an end view thereof.

"Figs 7 andl 8 show, respectively plany and end views of a contacty employed, and

Figs. 9 and 10 show, respectively side and edge views of a connection whereby the switch is secured to the key lever.

" Referring now more particularly' to the drawings wherein like numerals of reference designate similar-parts in cach of the figures, the numeral 1 refers to the key base and 4'thenumeral 2 refers to the key lever mountedontrunnionsl 3, 3. This lever is equipped with a hard rubber handle 4 upon one* end and an adjusting screw 5 at the other. By means of this adjusting screw the range of lever movements maybe con- Patented May 14., 191s.

6 on the under side of the lever approxi- Y Y mately half Way between the handle 4 and trunnions 3. When the lever is pressed down, this point touches a similar point 7 .supported by the frame, but insulated'from it.y The frame is provided with two binding posts 8 and 9, the former of which is connected directly to ksaid frame andthe latter of which is insulated vfrom it. Connected to the binding post 8 -is the wire 10 which leads to the relay and is thence connected with the main line on one side of the key and on the other side of vthe key the main line 11 leads directly from thel binding post 9. The bar 12 connects the binding post 9 with the contact point? and is -Y insulated from the base.- The points 6 and 7 are normally heldl apart by meansof ther tens1on sprmg 13 whichfis supported by the'l sages between points ony the opposite sides' c of the -key 1n question. Forthe purpose of closingth'e circuit, keys now in common use are equipped with a switch 14, shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. This switch is pivoted to the base 1 and when the key is in use the switch is manually opened as shown in Fig. 1 but when-the key is lnot in use, this switch should be closed by moving it into contact with the tonguel` which isconnected to the contact point 7 but insulated from the base.l -The circuit through' the main line is thus completed. In a great many cases, however, the operator forgets to close the switch and when it is left open, messages cannot be transmitted over the main line from points on opposite sidesvof the key and it is the object of this invention toprovide a switchvwhich will take the place of the switch 14 and which will automatically close the circuit through the main line when the keyis not in use. This attachment consists of the contact 16 which is substantiallyV U-shaped in form, as-shown in Figs. 7 and 8,

having its free ends turned-'outwardly tov forni abundant' contact surface. This contact is mounted on the base but insulated therefrom and has the.v centralf orifice" 17 through which the contact point 7 projects.

Pivoted to the lever 2-is the switch 18, this pivotal connection being effected by means ofl the clampY 19 which is secured to said' lever and to which the switch18 is pivoted.` The outer end of this switch 18 is formed ofv hard rubber, is: arcuatey inform and partially embraces they vhandle 4,r butvis slightlyv belowthe level Vof said handle and theuunderA sideofsaidfend is providedfwith a-:bumper 20 which limits the range ofrthe'movement out of contactinfthe vwellknovvn manner.r

Duringgthis operation .one'nger ofthe operatorrests uponvthe adjacentendrof the switch 18 depressing saidend and holding the ngers 22 out-.of contact with, the contact .16.so thatthe circuit may be madeand broken through the main' wires/by the ma# nipulation of: the lever 2. When. the op'- erator stops work the iigers 22 dropdown upon the opposing contactlland on account ofthe weightof thehead 21 are held in lcontacttherewith, thuscompleting the circuit;

through lthe lkey.

Itisto'bvious that by,this` form of-.switch the circuit willbe automatically'- closed .when the key is not in use4 and theswitchz14now in common `use may bef'dispiensedfwith, this switchhaving beenshown in Figs.` 1. and\2 only for the purposeofillustrating its use. in connection with switches newcommonly used. It iszobvious that should an object accidentally` fallon theikey it will be held by the handle 4, out; of contact withA the outer end ofV the.I switch 18 and will. not

open saidswitch or ifitufalls on the switch. 18, the elevatedvhead. 21 will sustain saidobject andthe switch'willbe thereby-held th e: more. securely closed.

What-Ifclaim is:

1. .Inf a-telegraph keythecombinatio-n with arbase, of. a keyv leverA pivotedthereon. andA electrically connected tof one ,wirev oftheline andrprovidedfwith a contact point, ahandle f carriedfloyy said lever, afcontactl point car# ried. bythe base and electricallyconnected Ito the 4other wire of theiline, saidpoints beingj normally out of'contact, aswitch pivoted tol said' leverv having its outer end free and arranged below said handle and its inner end bifurcated andi formed into a weight which is elevated above its outer end and whoseegravity normally holds the lingers of said switch in electrical connection with said lasti mentioned contact point.

2. In atelegraph lkey the combination with a base, of a pivotedfkey lever mounted thereon and electricallyr connected.- to one wire of theL line and fprovidedfwithv aconta'ct-fpoint, ai handle l carriedt by said 1 lever, a contact point-y carriedlbysa-id.- base and. electrically connected with. the other? wire 'r of theeline, said points being. normally out of contact, a

switcln pivoted to said lever, one endl of.y

which is formed into a Weight Whose :g1-aw ity normallyy holds itvinto` electricallconnection with the contact,pointfcarriediby saidbase, the other end of .said-@switch being free and arranged-below the level-of saidhandle but adj acentthereto sov v that'V said free end may vbe readilydepressed Vduring the :manip ulation of the lever tolift. the oppositeend of the switch; out of connection with said contactYpoi-nt. g

3. A telegraph key ineludinga base, a'pivoted lever electrically` connectedvtoone Wire..

ofV the lineVx and l having, a. contacts. point, A, an opposing Ufshaped Contact.: pointl electrically connectedwith the-other Wire. of.z the line, a.- switch. f pivoted.y toI the lever* one 1 end of' which is bifurcated'andiformed into a weight. whose gravityl normallyholds.y its fingers in electrical connection with the freef ends of: said: last mentioned contactx point,

the other end of said rswitchbeingeV i'reefancl.

so arrangedas to bereadily depresseddun ingthe'- manipulation of.' saidr lever` told-isfy connect the switch strom said-contact. point..- 4. A telegraph .keyincluding a, base, a'f-le.-l

ver pivoted thereon Iand electrically connected to one wirefof` thev line' andf provided with.v a. contact poi-nt, a contactpoint` con nected to the other wireffofsaid y.linegiaaliandA dle through ywhich said levenis manipulated,

a clamp secured to the handle and form-` ing a bearing,.,afswitch 'pivotedfi-to the clamp one end of whichvis normally-inelectrical connection with .said Jlastmentioned Contact point andfthe other.- end ofi, which' is arv ranged adjacentI andv partially surrounding the handle whereby said Alast mentioned en'd,

may. be readily. depressed fdnringthe manipulation offsa-id handle and the-.opposite end 5. In a -telegraphkeyithe com-binationiivvithy a base,y of; key lever:` pivoted: thereon .f and electricallyconnectedto one wire oi*tlielirie-` and pro-videdx with f ai contact point, .off au contact point carried: thef-basef--and elec trically connected 4to the other wire .of-1 theline, saidfpoints beingfnormally-out of` con-y tact, of a clamp detachably secured to said In testimony whereof I have signed myv lever and forming a bearing, a switoh pivname to this specification in the presence of oted to said bearing having its outer end free two subscribing witnesses.

and its inner end bfuroated and formed into BENJAMIN DE ALCALA. a weight Whose gravity normally holds the Witnesses:

fingers of said switch in electrical Contact NAT W. BOND,

with the last mentioned Contact point. HAROLD J. MONNOT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

